To be or not to be

THE EDITOR: To be or not to be, that is the question
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?”
From Hamlet (Act III, Scene I)

This is perhaps the most famous soliloquy in literature. The words reflect the state of desperation in which Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, finds himself as he contemplates suicide. His father, the King has died. His mother, the Queen, has remarried within a month of the King’s passing, an act which has disturbed young Hamlet. To make it worse, she has married the King’s brother, Hamlet’s uncle, who is now the King of Denmark. As Hamlet’s despair deepens, he learns (through the appearance of an apparition of his dead father) that the old King was murdered by the new King. Hamlet’s growing depression and madness. This soliloquy contains the famous words “Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all,” hinting that the “dread of something after death,” perhaps purgatory or hell, perhaps is what keeps Hamlet alive to avenge his father.

These words were echoed by UNC’s Chairman Basdeo Panday, as he spoke before supporters at the party’s “Abuse of Power” rally. After a close study of the presentations made at the said rally after an examination of the rantings and actions of certain party officials I have concluded that this is perhaps what Panday meant:

To Be: 1) Panday himself for his masterful counter-speech, for tackling indiscipline head-on and for protecting the party from political kidnap and subsequent ransom. 2) Ramesh Maharaj for diving into the trenches once more to prepare for battle. 3) Jack Warner for his relentless drive towards unity. 4) All members of Parliament who are aware of the real enemy. 5) The 25,000 faithful who attended and who witnessed the truth. Not To Be: 1) Winston Dookeran for missing the mark and an excellent opportunity to score some political points 2) Ganga Singh and Manohar Ramsarran for standing in the crowd like two schoolboys to lead the Dookeran cheering squad. 3) Robin Montano for wanting to be politically relevant. 4) Roy Augustus for a mistimed resignation.

ASHVANI MAHABIR
Chaguanas